Easter Recipe Ideas

Here are a couple holiday favorites from our family,
and a couple new ones as well:

Mini Sausage Meatballs

Meatballs:
1/2 lb Sweet Italian Sausage
1/2 lb ground beef
1 clove garlic
1/2 C finely chopped parsley
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 C fresh bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 C milk
1 tbsp. oil, more if needed.

Sauce:
2 pounds ground beef
10 ounces grape jelly
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil.
Mix meatball ingredients and shape into golf-size balls. Place on prepared roasting pan for 20 to 25 minutes until done.

Meanwhile, heat the jelly, chili sauce and mustard together in a 2 quart Dutch oven. Drain and add meatballs to the Dutch oven. Cover and simmer on low for 1/2 hour. Keep warm in crock pot to serve.

Deviled Eggs (with an optional kick)

6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder (replace with Chinese hot mustard to taste if you're feeling more adventurous)

Place eggs in a pot of salted water. Bring the water to a boil, and let eggs cook in boiling water until they are hard boiled, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Drain eggs, and let cool.

Cut eggs in half, lengthwise. Remove the egg yolks and mash them together in a small mixing bowl. Mix in the paprika, mayonnaise, and dry mustard (or hot mustard). Spoon mixture into the egg shells, cool and serve.

Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon

1.5 lbs. bacon
3 cans whole water chestnuts
1.5 C ketchup
1.5 C brown sugar

Wrap chestnuts in 1/2 strip bacon apiece. Stick toothpick though.
Bake at 350º for 1 hour in glass pan. Drain. Mix ketchup and brown sugar.
Pour mixture over wrapped chestnuts. Bake an additional 20 minutes.
Keep warm in crock pot!

Spicy Jalapeño Poppers

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
15 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 cups crushed corn flake cereal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, sharp Cheddar cheese and mayonnaise.

After seeding the peppers you must blanche them in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Stuff jalapeno halves with the mixture. Whisk together eggs and milk in a small bowl. Place crushed corn flake cereal in a separate small bowl. Dip each stuffed jalapeno half into the egg and milk mixture, then roll in corn flake cereal to coat. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and lightly browned.